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The helium neon laser was the first laser to be used in volume applications. Currently, there are millions of HeNe lasers in the field, and only the semiconductor diode laser is produced in greater volume. The key to the HeNe's success has been its low cost, small size, long operating life (as much as 50,000 operating hours), and unsurpassed beam quality. HeNe lasers produce milliwatts of output power and are available in a variety of wavelengths ranging from 543 nm (green) to 1.523 μm (infrared). The most common wavelength is the familiar 633 nm (red). These lasers are small, convection cooled, and can be operated from ordinary household power or even from batteries. |
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Melles Griot 633-nm lasers have been field proven in applications ranging from simple alignment and pointing at construction sites and sawmills to precision measurement and ranging in the rigors of space. Typical lifetime is as high as 50,000 operating hours.
- High-power lasers, with output up to 35 mW, available in cylindrical or rectangular configurations, are ideal for Raman spectroscopy, fast scanning, and test-and-measurement applications that benefit from increased signal-to-noise performance.
- Stabilized single-frequency lasers, with coherence lengths measured in kilometers, are ideal for calibration, precision measurement, and ranging applications.
- Class II lasers (IEC Class 2), with power less than 0.95 mW, are ideal for pointing, alignment, and teaching applications where eye safety is of paramount concern.
- Self-contained lasers are ideal for general-purpose alignment applications.
Systems are offered in both self-contained and cylindrical configurations with separate power supply. Cylindrical HeNe Lasers : Melles Griot manufactures a wide variety of cylindrical HeNe laser systems, only a few of which are represented here. All laser heads are mounted in rugged aluminum housings and come with a matched power supply. All systems meet CDRH requirements for laser equipment, and all 230-Vac versions are CE compliant. Lasers are available in randomly polarized (LHR series) or linearly polarized (LHP series) versions. If you have a special requirement that cannot be satisfied by one of these lasers, please contact us. Self-Contained HeNe Lasers : Self-contained HeNe lasers combine the laser tube and power supply in a single, compact package. They are ideal for alignment, component testing, and general laboratory use, as well as for educational and high-volume OEM applications. Melles Griot offers two package configurations: a stand-alone rectangular package that can sit directly on a laboratory table, and a cylindrical package that can be mounted in a conventional laser holder or attached to a table using the included snap-in base. |
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Green Helium Neon Lasers (543nm) Green HeNe lasers have up to five times the visibility of red lasers with the same output power. Consequently, they are ideal for aiming and pointing applications. They also are the lasers of choice for many biotechnology, cytometry, microscopy, and graphics applications, since the wavelength closely corresponds to the peak absorption bands of fluorescent dyes, reagents, and film.
Green HeNe lasers are available with powers ranging from 0.20 mW to 2.00 mW, in linearly and randomly polarized configurations. |
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Yellow HeliumNeon Lasers (594nm) | | | | | The 594-nm output wavelength of these lasers at closely corresponds to the sodium "d" and "D" lines which are used as a spectral reference in the optical industry. The wavelength also corresponds to the peak absorption of several popular fluorescent dyes. |
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Orange HeliumNeon Lasers (612nm) The visibility of the 612-nm output wavelength of these lasers is approximately 35 percent greater than that of a red (633-nm) laser with the same output power. By using an orange HeNe laser, one can often avoid moving up to a higher power that may require additional regulatory and safety requirements. |
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Lasers & Light 
